The present invention is directed to a fiber optic switch package and a method of assembling said package, and, more particularly, a microelectromechanical (MEMS) based fiber optic switch package for an optical component.
Elaborate structures and manual assembly techniques are presently required to contain and protect optic fibers exiting from packages containing semiconductor devices. It is particularly important that the optic fibers of such components be protected from damage. Several approaches have been used. One example is the use of fiber pipes as seen on costly 14 pin butterfly packages that house pump laser devices and other similar devices. Another example is the use of epoxy to encapsulate a subassembly of a MEMS chip to optic fibers which is then covered with a conventional TO-8 can style cover. A further assembly is then required to reinforce and contain the fibers and support strain relief components, adding cost and complexity.
Also, because most optical switch chip fiber layouts are cross-shaped, the fibers exit from each corner of the switch, i.e., four ends. Because the fibers exiting the switch are fragile, they can not be tightly or sharply bent outside the switch. In addition, because the fibers exit from four ends, valuable real estate is consumed when the switch is mounted to a circuit board. Also, such a configuration limits the proximity within which switches may be placed next to one another.
It is thus desirable to provide a package for housing fiber optics interfacing with semiconductor devices and protecting the fibers that exit from the housing. It is also desirable to allow the fibers to exit the switch at two ends instead of at four ends to reduce the amount of real estate that needs to be allocated on a printed circuit board. It is also desirable to provide a package that gently bends fibers within the switch so that the risk of damage to the fibers is reduced. Furthermore, it is desirable to provide a package that provides strength and isolation from mechanical stresses outside the package on the semiconductor device housed in the package and the fibers exiting the package.
According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided an optical component package. The package has a housing having a first side and a second side and means for bending optical fibers in the housing so that the fibers exit the housing from the first and second sides.
According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided an optical component package. The package includes a bottom plate, a top plate, and a left and right side piece. The bottom plate has a top surface with symmetrically positioned islands located on the top surface, the islands having rounded corners. The top plate has a bottom surface that faces the top surface of the bottom plate, and has symmetrically positioned islands located on the bottom surface, the islands having rounded corners. Each side piece has rounded cutouts that are complimentary to the rounded corners of the islands wherein the left and right side pieces fit in a left and right cavity, respectively, formed when the top plate is disposed on the bottom plate, wherein the rounded cutouts of the left and right side pieces mate with the rounded corners of the islands to form a channel there between.
According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of assembling an optical component package. The method includes steps of:
(a) disposing a MEMS optical switch on a top surface of a bottom plate, the bottom plate having symmetrically positioned islands with rounded corners located on the top surface, the MEMS optical switch having four fibers extending from four different ends of the MEMS optical switch;
(b) bonding the MEMS optical switch to the top surface;
(c) attaching optical fibers to the MEMS optical switch;
(d) disposing a top plate on the bottom plate, the top plate having a bottom surface that faces the bottom plate wherein the bottom surface is identically configured as the top surface;
(e) inserting a left side piece between the top and bottom plates, the left side piece having round cutouts that are complimentary to the rounded corners of the islands so that when the left side piece is inserted, it causes the fiber to bend;
(f) inserting a right side piece between the top and bottom plates, the right side piece having round cutouts that are complimentary to the rounded corners of the islands so that when the right side piece is inserted, causes the fibers to bend.